Mix
by Passionworks
Summary: iPod Challenge. Take a peek at the desires, denials, and defeats of the Avatar characters. Their thoughts and memories are revealed through music. Rated for somewhat mature content.


**Author's Note: Well, I found myself perusing my friend, TrueThinker's profile and found something of hers called, 'Inner Workings,' which was a song challenge that she got tagged to complete. She had to select ten random/shuffled songs and write drabbles in the duration of each one. Though she didn't directly tag me to do this, since she wrote the piece back when I had no idea that she even existed (I became a mainstream writer on here in 2009), I really wanted to give it a shot.**

**Now, what is the commonality between all these songs? Here it is: the majority of them are pretty old. Most are from the seventies and eighties, some are from the nineties, and two are within the last decade. Even still, the bands are in that oldies genre, or classic rock. That should tell you all something about my musical preferences.**

**One last thing: some of my interpretations of the songs may be a bit weird. I'm not going to set about explaining all of them. Find the lyrics of the songs and interpret them for yourselves. However, don't even bother looking for the lyrics to the first song, 'Heart of Darkness.' You will never find them. Believe me. If you want to hear it, I can send a link to a video of it on YouTube. Heck, you won't find the lyrics to 'Cruel Tears' either, since it is also considered one of Heart's rarest tracks. I only know of these two songs because I have collected Heart's scarce/limited issue eighties/nineties singles.**

******Since you are technically supposed to tag someone after you do this, I'll tag Pulchra-16. You better be ready for this one, Dixie!**

**Here's my list:**

_**Heart of Darkness – Heart**_

**(This is an extremely rare track that was omitted from Heart's 1986 self-titled, number one album. Even some of the biggest Heart fans out there are unaware that this song exists).**

_**We Will Rock You – Queen**_

_**Troglodyte (Cave Man) – The Jimmy Castor Bunch**_

_**Rainy Days and Mondays – The Carpenters**_

_**Sisterly Love – Dolores O'Riordan**_

**(Dolores O'Riordan –lead singer of the Cranberries –made her first solo album in 2007 called, 'Are You Listening?' This song here is one of five bonus tracks that were discarded from the final cut of the album).**

_**Waiting – Vixen**_

_**I'm Fine – Heart**_

_**High Enough –Damn Yankees**_

_**Cruel Tears – Heart**_

**(This is yet another extremely rare track. This was omitted from Heart's 1990 album, 'Brigade.' Just as with 'Heart of Darkness,' most fans of Heart do not know of this song).**

_**Hold On –Sarah McLachlan**_

**Enjoy the (mostly) vintage music I present to you!**

Mix

By: Passionworks

* * *

One

'Heart of Darkness'

-Heart

Omitted from the 1986 album, _Heart_

From the 1988 UK Single, _Never/These Dreams_

Time: 3:37

Pairing(s): Zhaozula

Word Count: 250

Admiral Zhao runs a snake-like finger through the princess' raven hair. It twists down her frame like a black river, forming a perfect body of water along her spine. Her eyes, brightened by the shining moon that peeks through the window outside, are amber and deadly –holders of lies and secrets.

He then places his hand at the small of her back, pushing her chest against his. Azula frowns at the gesture.

"We shouldn't be doing this."

"Your father's in a midnight war meeting."

"One _you _should be attending," she retorts, furrowing her brows and resting her chin atop his shoulder. Their closeness might fool one into believing they are one unit, tightly coiled together by a crimson sheet.

"My position entitles me to time off. Besides, am I not allowed to enjoy the pleasure of your company?"

"No."

"And why is that?"

"Why do you think?"

Zhao smirks as the light of the moon hits Azula's lips, leaving a white strip upon them like a painted mark.

"It doesn't matter," he says quickly –a bit too quickly.

Azula turns, and the highlight leaves her face and becomes stranded in her hair, scribbling ashen chains through each tress.

"My father demands that I keep nothing from him. He's not a fool. The affair is going to leak eventually."

"But, Azula," the admiral whispers, teasing her cheek with his thumb, "your father already knows about this."

The princess holds her breath, waiting for him to finish.

"It isn't a secret anymore."

* * *

Two

'We Will Rock You'

-Queen

From the 1977 album, _News of the World_

Time: 2:02

Pairing(s): Aangcentric

Word Count: 141

The Avatar studies Ozai's hardened face, a face of mixed emotions, of realization and horror. He has a scowl planted there, one that burns into Aang's eyes like a precise flame with its scathing connotations.

He hears the disgraced Phoenix King exhale. "Only a weakling steals in order to gain," he informs in garbled phrases (he is still a bit disoriented after his sudden fall from grace).

Aang remains unfazed by the remark; his visage is stoic and inert. "Ozai, I removed something, but did not steal it. You, however, have stolen countless lives and seized control of homelands that didn't belong to you."

Shaking his head and flinging his soaked, tousled hair behind him, Ozai answers boldly, "The countries that fell were not stolen. I earned my victories."

"Nothing in this war is a victory except for its rightful end."

* * *

Three

'Troglodyte (Cave Man)'

-The Jimmy Castor Bunch

From the 1972 album, _It's Just Begun_

Time: 3:41

Pairing(s): Sokka/Katara (Sibling drabble –no incest)

Word Count: 213

This land is desolate, empty, stricken by the hue of mourning. The sky is a reflection of the earth: white and dusted by frozen precipitation.

The Water Tribal warrior emerges lazily from his hut, pulling the sheeted opening aside like a pest setting itself in front of him. Rubbing his eyes, he stares out, reflecting on the fact that he slept the entirety of the morning away. It is high noon; all the women are out washing clothes and their children are playing whatever games children play (the kind of games that don't involve training for the war, he muses).

"Sokka!" his younger sister calls from a distance. The grandmother the two share is next to her, crossing her arms over her thickly-layered chest.

"Why didn't you come when I called you?" Katara continues, her pitch rising considerably. "I thought you were awake!"

"I was tired, had a long night," he lies, clearly making an excuse for his laziness.

"Well, then, what were you doing to constitute a _long night?_"

"My blades needed sharpening."

"Sure they did."

Stepping past him like he is troublesome bystander, Katara wanders to his hut, peering into it nosily.

"Your blades aren't sharpened. You were just ignoring me, weren't you?"

A sulking Sokka can only shrug his shoulders.

* * *

Four

'Rainy Days and Mondays'

-The Carpenters

From the 1971 album, _Carpenters_

Time: 3:23

Pairing(s): Ozula

Word Count: 176

Every drop of rain that pecks the window is like a tear that is shed and forgotten as it then pours to the sodden ground. Azula presses her forehead against the glass, wishing the rainstorm would end and the sun would peek through the gray clouds. Her father is gone; he is handling some sort of transaction in Ba Sing Se. Somehow, she misses him, misses his company.

The one thing she doesn't miss is his affection.

He has never loved her. She is nothing but a rag torn and slept with, worn and faded.

Azula feels her heart beat. It is a heavy beat, like it is a struggle for that organ to make the simple effort to keep her alive. Placing a hand to her bosom, she frowns and breathes a deep sigh, again setting her gaze to the outdoors.

Rain has always reminded her of a cleansing, despite its dullness. Even so, that doesn't mean a simple soaking can ever wash her sins away. Like scars, there is no erasing the damage done.

* * *

Five

'Sisterly Love'

-Dolores O'Riordan

Omitted from the 2007 album, _Are You Listening?_

Time: 2:35

Pairing(s): Ty Lee-centric

Word Count: 130

There are six of them, set in a row like playing cards with identical backs. They sit primly in their assigned chairs, dressed in lavishing clothes (all crimson and gold). They are motionless, as if they are nothing more than statues gazed upon by wandering eyes.

One breaks free of this strict stranglehold and bows her head. The five others are drawn to her; they consecutively turn their heads, eyeballing her suspiciously. They wait for her to utter a word, make a reason out of her act.

But she does not speak at all.

The five face forward once again, bracing themselves for the punishment that is to soon come to them for straying from proper etiquette.

And the rebellious one joins them, her sense of self defeated once again.

* * *

Six

'Waiting'

-Vixen

From the 1988 album, _Vixen_

Time: 3:12

Pairing(s): Jetzula

Word Count: 110

"Jet?"

Azula rises from her makeshift cot, cocking her head, waiting for an answer.

"Jet?" she calls again, only louder. There is nothing. She an only hear the sound of the leaves dancing with the morning wind.

The princess stands on wobbly legs, reaching for the wall. Once steady, she pulls the entranceway aside, stepping into the golden sun. It falls on her adorningly, emphasizing every lonely inch of her.

She looks out. Every hut is unmistakably empty. The doors flap like clapping hands in the breeze; residents are no longer stepping upon the pathways.

The rebellion's headquarters is desolate.

Jet has moved on, and Azula is left to wait.

* * *

Seven

'I'm Fine'

-Heart

From the 2004 album, _Jupiter's Darling_

Time: 2:59

Pairing(s): Azulacentric

Word Count: 108

She thinks herself fine. She is perfect, without flaw or fissure.

But here she sits, her mind fumbling over images and voices she cannot tame. She does not understand things anymore. She speaks but cannot comprehend. She hears but cannot listen.

Everything is a blur. The day she fell is like a lesson scratched from plans. She has forgotten it, now endlessly demanding her release as if she has done no wrong.

"I'm fine!" she shouts to no one. "Let me out!" Her hands grip the bars of her cell, her knuckles whitening as she tightens her squeeze.

A flash. Seized by a plaguing hallucination, she is silent.

* * *

Eight

'High Enough'

-Damn Yankees

From the 1990 album, _Damn Yankees_

Time: 4:18

Pairing(s): Urzai and (slight) Ozula

Word Count: 115

The Firelord keeps his bed unmade, like he is a painter fearing the destruction of his canvas. He often rests himself at the door's frame and stares at it, the memories it once housed popping into his head like bouts of inspiration.

His wife has escaped from his life; she has been gone for three whole years now.

The sacrifice Ursa made all those years ago still burns in his chest like churning acid, bubbling and seething.

He did not love her then.

He longs for her company now.

But she turned on him for their weakling son. And he turned on her for their prodigal daughter.

Was it worth it?

He cannot answer truthfully.

* * *

Nine

'Cruel Tears'

-Heart

Omitted from the 1990 album, _Brigade_

From the 1990 UK Single, _All I Wanna Do_

Time: 4:18

Pairing(s): Azulaang

Word Count: 194

Azula cannot bear to look down on him. Though his face is a false mix of despair and sympathy, she just can't put herself up to looking into his eyes.

"You're leaving, aren't you, Avatar?" she asks him bluntly, her voice cutting through him like a sword.

"Yes."

"For the Water Tribe bitch?"

He wipes his eyes, his pupils dilating almost innocently. His confirmation comes as a slow, deliberate slur. Azula shakes her head, disappointed at his admission.

"You always loved her more, haven't you?"

"No."

She clicks her nails. "You're lying. Come now, Avatar, I can read you like a book."

He scoots closer to her, placing a sort of emphasis on his feelings. His head hangs low to his knees. "I still love you, Azula. It's just…"

"Just nothing," comes the harsh reply. "There is nothing more you can provide me. The thought of having you as my lover is nothing more than a distant dream now."

The two say nothing for a time, until the princess again shatters the ice. "I am better off without you. You should know that, right?"

The Avatar answers, "Yes. It is the same for me."

* * *

Ten

'Hold On'

-Sarah McLachlan

From the 1999 live album, _Mirrorball_

Time: 5:19

Pairing(s): Zhaozula

Word Count: 237

Admiral Zhao is slowly coming to terms with the fact that his condition is critical. He is slowly wandering away, like stray driftwood floating along the current. His awareness is only slight; he remembers nothing of his mission, nothing of his sudden capture.

But he does remember the fair princess who had him rescued from his entrapment.

Here, she sits at his bedside, cautiously spooning him water and syrupy medicine he would rather not ingest. But he gives in to every calm, motherly demand, mouthing the spoon willingly like a child earning a treat.

He swallows hard, ejecting a shrill cough. She concernedly strokes his scruffy hair, shushing him and telling him to fall back asleep. The once strapping admiral obeys, gradually shutting his eyes and curling like a fetus against the bed sheet.

…

The princess understands completely that keeping him alive is futile, for he is already destined for the grave. But she salvages every opportunity she can to see him make another day, though they are becoming slower and more difficult to bear.

Not long after Zhao's recovery from the battlefield, she and her team of elites captured several Water Tribe women for the sole purpose of healing him, but even they have not the skill –or perhaps the _heart _–to cure him.

Even the Fire Nation's hospitals cannot mend the damages, but she lies, informs him that they can –and will…

_…But won't._


End file.
